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Show age," but added that there is no cheap or simple answer to our energy problems. "America must have an energy policy which promotes pro-motes conservation and reduces re-duces foreign importation," the letter read. "There is no question that this policy can be accomplished by allowing allow-ing the marketplace to re-. re-. fleet the costofenergyprod-ucts costofenergyprod-ucts rather than the Federal government." Urges tie control of erudo oil prieos U.S. Senator Jake Gam urged President Carter to decontrol the price of crude oil, noting that "our excessive exces-sive dependence on foreign oil is severely weakening the dollar and contributing to inflation." in-flation." Gam and seven other senators co -signed a letter let-ter to Carter asking him to consider "what is best for our nation in the long term." "The American public appears ap-pears ready to accept the short-term impact of higher fuel prices, if they can look to the lonQ term certainty of supplies," the bi-partisan letter said. "Consumers will have to pay much more for energy if we remain at the mercy of foreign oil producers." Garn said the inflationary impact of a weak U.S. dollar dol-lar could be counteracted "if the domestic production was increased, and America's Ameri-ca's own energy resources fully developed. "While lam not enthusiastic enthusias-tic about advocating a program which may increase prices, it is more important to note that these higher prices can effectively contribute con-tribute to the solution of our energy proglems," Garn said, The Utah Republican said that the decontrol of oil prices would allow producers pro-ducers to receive prices commensurate with their re- , placement costs, thereby spurring domestic production. produc-tion. "Also by allowing allow-ing the price of crude oil to reach world market levels the price of oil would eventually even-tually reach a level that would assure decreased consumption con-sumption and greater conservation," con-servation," he said. "We must reaffirm the strength of the free economy principles upon which our America is based," Garn said. "Artificial price controls con-trols have only increased the cost of energy while endangering endan-gering the economic, political politi-cal and military security of our nation." The letter to Carter acknowledged that "the option opt-ion we support requires a full measure of political cour- |